Pilatus PC6 Porter & Turbo Porter

Details

Country of Origin

Switzerland

Type

STOL utility transport

History

The Pilatus Porter and Turbo Porter STOL utilities are renowned for their exceptional STOL performance and low speed handling and have sold strongly on the strength of their performance.
The high wing taildragger Porter was designed to perform a range of utility roles, and flew for the first time on May 4 1959. The first production aircraft built were delivered from 1960 and were powered by a six cylinder GSO480 piston engine, but it was not long after that a turboprop powered development flew.
The first PC6/A Turbo Porter flew in May 1961, powered by a 390kW (523shp) Turboméca Astazou II turboprop. The majority of PC6s are PC6/Bs, powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A. PC6/Cs were powered by a 310kW (575shp) AiResearch TPE331, and were first delivered in 1965.
Smaller numbers of piston powered Porters have been built with Lycoming GSO480s and IGO540s in parallel with Turbo Porters.
The PC6/B was first delivered from 1964 and remains in production today. Initial models were powered by the 410kW (550shp) PT6A6 or 20. The PC6/B2H2 was first flown in 1970 and introduced the PT6A27 and an increased maximum takeoff weight.
Current Porter production is of the PC6/B2H4 with a further increase in max takeoff weight, larger dorsal fin fillet, revised wingtips, strengthened airframe structure and improved undercarriage.

Pilot and passenger on flightdeck, with standard seating for six in main cabin. Max seating for 11 including pilot. Alternative layouts include two stretchers and three medical attendants, or 10 skydivers. Some equipped for agricultural spraying.

Production

Over 500 Porters of all versions have been built, including 100 under licence in the USA and against various military orders.

Related Links

Pilatus PC6 Porter & Turbo Porter

The backbone of this section is from the The
International Directory of Civil Aircraft by Gerard Frawley
and used with permission. To get your own copy of the book
click here.